Answering Machine
by Jezzie Lynn
Summary: One Shot. Sango and Miroku split up. Sango needed her space. After a year and a half, Sango calls Kagome, and dials the wrong number. That’s when the answering machine to that house delivers a shocking message.


**Answering Machine**

_Author's Note_ - Hi there! I've been thinking a lot lately, and I've decided to attempt this. I hope you enjoy.

_Disclaimer_- I do not own Inuyasha. Any similarities that this story has with any other is merely coincidence. Thank you. Also, I got this idea from several different songs I listened to, including something along the lines of "If this is Austin." But I do not own those either. Thanks.

_Summary_ - One Shot. Sango and Miroku split up. Sango needed her space from the pervert, while the latter had a restless spirit. After a year and a half, Sango calls Kagome, and dials the wrong number. That's when the answering machine to that house delivers a shocking message.

* * *

_A year and a half earlier…_

"Come on, Sango!" Miroku pleaded, watching his girlfriend pace the length of their large bedroom. "You know I would never do anything like that…" He knew it was a futile attempt to tell a lie and expect someone with the quick wits like Sango to believe it.

"Oh really?" She demanded, whirling on him with fiery eyes that burned him to the core. "So _that's_ why you were looking at those other girls yesterday? _That's_ why you were grabbing at their rears?" Her voice rose a few octaves, but she obviously paid it no heed. She was too furious.

Miroku inched away slightly. He didn't take much pride in himself, so it was easier to admit that he was afraid of Sango. He knew that she had the temper of a lioness who had cubs nearby, and, therefore, attempted to avoid provoking her. He did his best, day in and day out. However, he just couldn't help himself.

"Sango," he said, gently, almost afraid that, if he were too harsh or firm, he'd rouse her anger even more. "Look, let me explain."

"Explain?" She queried. "Explain _what_? I _saw_ you, Miroku! That's the second time this week! You've had two years of explaining to do, and it's always the same old thing!"

"Sango…"

"No!" She yelled, holding up her hand to stop him. "Don't. I've had enough."

She ran to the dresser and tore it open, ripping the clothes from it as if she were violently dissecting it. After emptying out her clothes and tossing his back in carelessly, she jerked a duffle bag out from beneath their queen size bed. She dropped it onto the soft mattress and began dumping her clothes into it.

"I won't do this anymore," she growled, breezing past him to go into the adjoining bathroom. He could still hear her as she said, "I won't play the role of nagging girlfriend anymore. I'm so sick of you doing this to me, Miroku."

"Sango, don't go," he whimpered helplessly.

She ignored him and brought her belongings from the bathroom and tossed them into the bag. She then angrily zipped it up and tossed it over her shoulder. "I'm going to Kagome's. She'll get my things later." She paused at the doorway and Miroku's heart gave a pitiful lurch at the thought that she was changing her mind. However, her words killed that hope:

"I'm flying back to Kyoto," she informed him. Kyoto was her home town while Tokyo was his. She had agreed to move in with him. Now, she was leaving him and going back to where she belonged.

"Sango…can't we make this work?"

Sango stared at him blankly for a moment. Then, ever so slowly, she shook her head. "No, I don't think we can." She then removed the ring he had bought her from her slim finger and dropped it to the carpet floor. "Goodbye, Miroku." Then she walked out, leaving Miroku behind, alone.

_Present…_

Miroku sighed and pushed the thought of that night over a year before to the side. He focused down on the book he was reading for college, about forensic science.

It did no good to shove the painful memories aside. They always seemed to resurface, bubbling like an infected cut on the inside of his mind. With a groan of stifled annoyance, he slammed the book shut. The words had begun to blur together.

After Sango had left him, he almost fell into a state of darkness, nearly drank himself to death, to put it mildly. He went into depression. Not that it mattered; it never brought the woman he loved back. The only one who understood him at all was his best friend Inuyasha. He knew that Inuyasha had informed his girlfriend -- and Sango's best friend -- Kagome of this occurrence, but Sango never once heard of it.

And she never returned.

He finally was convinced that crying over a girl who had abandoned him was useless. He didn't want to shame his family. She he sobered up and went to college.

He was determined to make something of himself, forget about the past, and find someone new. Possibly start a family.

Too bad the memories that plagued him constantly were impeding his progress, making it nearly impossible to do so.

He exhaled and decided to just go to sleep and continue with his studies in the morning. As far as love went -- he'd wait. He didn't need it, right?

Sometimes, he believe it was actually true. Others, he couldn't.

-----

Sango yawned, stretching her arms above her head as she entered her apartment. It had been a long and exhausting day at work, and she only longed for a piece of chocolate cake while she sat in her favorite recliner, in her most comfortable pajamas, watching cheesy horror flicks.

She quickly changed outfits into the pajamas mentioned, that had _heartbreaker_ written all over them, and grabbed a piece of cake. She watched _Scream_ and downed her cake, grabbing a Pepsi and finishing half of it.

"Wow," she muttered to herself. "I'm so bored."

She leaned back into the chair, her head dangling off the arm rest, the blood rushing to her head, her temples pounding.

She was rarely this bored, and she despised it when she was. She could never think of anything to do, and, even thought she was doing something to occupy her time, she never could find it interesting. She would stop doing it a few moments after she began.

Sighing, she jerked up her cordless phone and decided to call Kagome back in Tokyo to check up on her.

It rang five times and that's when an answering machine picked up.

'That's weird,' Sango thought. 'Oh well. Maybe she just got it.'

She expected to hear Kagome's happy, and energetic voice fill her ears, telling her that she was busy or not home and that, if she left her name and number, she'd get back to her as soon as possible.

She was astonished when she heard a man's voice.

She hung up immediately.

'Hm,' she thought. She then pulled the phone back up and hit the "redial" button. It rang five times before the same answering machine with the same male voice erupted in her ear's. She decided to listen.

"_Hey, this is Miroku. I'm either not here right now or working on College stuff, so you know what to do if you want me to contact you. By the way -- if this is Kyoto…I still love you."_

Sango gasped, her heart jumping and missing a beat. "Miroku…" she rasped out, the phone slipping from her hands and hitting the floor with a _clank_. She quickly bent down and place it on the cradle with shaking fingers.

It had been a year and a half…and he still loved her. She knew that he had meant her…he _had_ to have been talking about her. Right?

She bit her lower lip uncertainly. No. Not that road again. Not going back. No way.

She stared at her floor and realized that she hadn't dated anyone since Miroku…and that she still felt something in her heart every time she heard his name -- not that she heard it much. Still…she knew what she had to do.

She lifted the phone up and hit "redial" again. When she got the answering machine, with the same message, she left her own:

"Miroku -- hi. It's…it's Sango. I know this is awkward and all, and I know you're probably busy, but…give me a call." She then left her number and hung up, praying that she hadn't just screwed up her life, or his.

-----

Miroku rubbed his tired and drooping violet eyes as he entered his home. He had spent that Saturday morning grocery shopping and working out at the gym. Now all he looked forward to was a nap.

He noticed that he had new messages, indicated by the blinking red light on his answering machine.

'Bet it is Inuyasha,' he thought sullenly, hitting the button to hear the messages.

"You have one new message," the machine said to him.

"_Miroku -- hi. It's…it's Sango. I know this is awkward and all, and I know you're probably busy, but…give me a call." _

Miroku shrugged. "Yeah, yeah, whatever…" That's when it hit him. It had been Sango speaking, not Inuyasha. It had been the girl he had loved, leaving him a message on his answering machine. Sango…

He replayed the message and smiled.

Feeling a surge of excitement and adrenaline, he jerked up the phone and dialed the number that had been left behind for him to use.

-----

The phone rang, startling Sango. She jumped, but composed herself before answering. "Hello?"

"_Is this Kyoto?"_ An all too familiar voice asked.

She laughed, shyly, a tinge of disbelief hidden in her voice. "Maybe," she said playfully. "Maybe not. Is their name Kyoto?"

She could hear the laughter in his voice. "_I miss you, Sango. So much. You have no idea how hard it is to be alone."_

"You mean, you haven't dated anyone?"

"_No."_

"Oh. I'm sorry." She said, feeling a tinge of guilt and pity.

"_Have you?" _He asked.

"No. Not at all." She answered truthfully.

"_Can I see you?" _He suddenly asked after a few moments of silence. "_I'll fly there, or you can come here. Either way is fine. I just have to see you."_

Sango hesitated a moment, her heart now in her throat, racing wildly. Even thought her body was having difficulty speaking, or telling him an answer to his question, her mind was already made up. She took a deep breath. "Yes. I'll fly down in the morning."

She could hear the relief and happiness in his voice. "_Thank you, Sango."_

"You're welcome." She managed. "I'll see you then. Good night."

"_Good Night." _

They both hung up.

-----

Sango was walking through the airport, her eyes wandering around, searching for any familiar faces. It hadn't changed much since she had last visited over a year earlier, which brought back memories, that were much too painful to think about.

Until she saw him.

Standing in the crowd, almost like an angel that stood out only because of the pure light radiating off of it.

She could fight the urge to run at him, which resulted in her racing toward him and, with a cry, leaping into his arms.

He embraced her tightly, holding her there a few moments as he took in her familiar scent, the way her slim body felt when he held her.

"I missed you," he heard her say, astonishing him.

"Ditto," he said, setting her down on her feet. "I have to ask you something," he said.

"All right," she said, bracing herself for the worst.

He pulled something from his pocket and fell to one knee. She gasped and slapped a hand to her chest. "This might be a weird question, but…will you come back home?" He opened the tiny, velvet box to reveal the ring she had removed from her finger an tossed to the floor.

She nodded, tears in her brown eyes.

That's when he pulled another box from his jacket pocket. People gathered around, murmuring around them. "Sango," he said softly, opening the box to reveal another ring, adorned in pink ice diamonds. "Will you marry me, too?"

Several "Awww"s were heard around them.

Sango felt the tears running down her cheeks as a shaky hand came up to her lips. She was trembling all over.

She realized that it was from excitement.

She nodded, telling him, and all of the other bystanders, that she said yes.

He leapt up, slipped the ring on her finger, and kissed her passionately, earning more "awww"s. When he pulled away, he said, "Welcome home."

She smiled. "It's where I belong," she told him.

* * *

_Note_ - There! How was it? I hope it was good. Thanks for reading. XD 


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